Faith XLVII Sews Textiles Made from World Maps and Currency to Explore the ‘Veins of the World’
“Chaos Theory XXII.” All images courtesy of Faith XLVII and Heron Arts, San Francisco, shared with permission
Faith XLVII Sews Textiles Made from World Maps and Currency to Explore the ‘Veins of the World’
June 17, 2025
Art
Kate Mothes
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In our ever more globalized society, we have technology to thank for the unprecedented connectivity we enjoy, both in our ability to fly or sail practically anywhere and have face-to-face video chats from halfway around the globe. It’s easy to forget that the turn-by-turn directions we use on our phones or locations we tag on social media are all built upon time-honored analog maps that have been used for centuries. And forget virtual credit cards—remember good old fashioned cash?
For South African artist Faith XLVII (previously), cartography, money, and national symbols provide the foundations for ongoing series like The Deconstruction of Value and Chaos Theory. She cuts apart old maps, discontinued currency, and flags, sewing them back together into patterned tapestries. More than a dozen of these pieces will also be on view later this month at Heron Arts.
Detail of “Chaos Theory XIII”
Faith XLVII’s solo exhibition, Venarum Mundi—which means “veins of the world” in Latin—examines “the economic and geopolitical systems that structure our world,” the gallery says. Through colorful, quilt-like pieces, the artist is interested in what shifts and shapes our global reality, challenging notions of value, borders, and history.
Venarum Mundi opens on June 28 and continues through August 2 in San Francisco. Find more on Faith XLVII’s website and Instagram.
“Chaos Theory XXIII”
“Entanglement”
“The Deconstruction of Value IX”
Detail of “The Deconstruction of Value IX”
“The Deconstruction of Value XII”
“The Deconstruction of Value X”
Detail of “The Deconstruction of Value X”
“Chaos Theory XX”
Detail of “Chaos Theory XX”
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